By Kevin Czerwinski, Administrative Assistant, Office of Assemblywoman Amy Paulin

Editor's note:  Assemblywoman Amy Paulin represents the 88th New York State Assembly District, which includes Scarsdale, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville, Pelham, Pelham Manor, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains.

Jan. 17, 2018:  In the opening week of the 2018 New York State legislative session, the Assembly passed three of Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s bills. Two bills (A.72A and A.62) pertain to preventing animal cruelty by improving conditions at pet shelters and for animals in the care of pet dealers. The third bill (A.236) pertains to making information related to generic drugs freely and publicly available.

A.72-A requires pet dealers to regularly groom the animals in their care, clean their enclosures, and give nursing and pregnant dogs enough space to safely and adequately care for their litters. This legislation will provide much-needed protections to improve the quality of life of these animals and prevent negligent treatment by pet dealers.

“Pet dealers must be held to standards that will promote the safety, good health, and overall well-being of the animals in their care,” Paulin said. “Too often pet dealers are not grooming the animals and not adequately cleaning the dogs' food receptacles or primary enclosures, leading to flea and tick infestation and other diseases.”

A.62. streamlines the process of obtaining a security posting by animal sheltering organizations who are left to care for animals seized from their abusers. The issue of whether the criminal court has jurisdiction to hear the petition for a security posting has arisen multiple times in New York City and other jurisdictions.   Clarifying the issue of which court, criminal or civil, has jurisdiction will eliminate significant lag time, sometimes weeks or even months, reduce costs for sheltering organizations, and improve overcrowding conditions.

“These organizations take such great care of these abused and injured animals,” Paulin said. “They should not have to go through a lengthy process to recover funds spent on caring for them.”

A.236 would make relevant information about generic drugs, such as bioequivalence data and incidence of adverse side effects, freely and publicly available through the DOH website. Currently, although information regarding differences between the effects of generic drugs and a brand name drug is known to the FDA, drug producers, and manufacturers, it is not publicly available except through a FOIL request, which is often a lengthy process. This legislation will give consumers access to the information they need to decide, with their physicians and pharmacists, if the generic product is appropriate for them.

“Right now there is not enough information available for doctors, pharmacists, and patients about the ingredients in generic drugs and possible side effects. In order to make the best decision, both medically and economically, consumers need to have access to as much information as is available regarding the differences between generic drugs and brand-name drugs,” Paulin said. “This legislation is about transparency, protecting the consumer, and, most importantly, better health care.”

Pictured here:  Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.

Photo courtesy Office of Assemblywoman Amy Paulin